A System of Pleas: Social Sciences Contributions to the Real Legal System

Type of Source

Other

Author(s)

Vanessa Edkins and Allison Redlich (Eds.)

Source

Oxford University Press (2019)

Publication Year

2019

Key Terms

Alford/Nolo Plea Defendant Competence False or Fictional Plea Prosecutor Charging Policies Prosecutor Plea Policies Role and Discretion of Prosecutor Role of Defendant and Defendant Decision-Making Shadow of Trial Theory Standard of Proof at Plea Strength of the Evidence Waiver of Rights

Summary

This book summarizes the current state of plea bargaining research and guides the reader through the plea bargaining process. In doing so, the book provides information regarding the psychological, economical, and sociological considerations at each step of the plea process. The book also contains proposals for policy changes.

Key Quote

“We still know relatively little about the decision to plead guilty; we know even less about the decision to plead guilty falsely. Yet, the Supreme Court has acknowledged that the U.S. justice system is now a system of pleas[.] . . . Clearly, now is the time for researchers to inform the development of plea-bargaining law, and commence reform of this system of pleas.” p. 21